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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23396134">Lucky Charm</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeris444/pseuds/Aeris444'>Aeris444</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Hugs, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:34:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23396134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeris444/pseuds/Aeris444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Knights think Merlin bring them luck. But who will be lucky in the end?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Merthur Glompfest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lucky Charm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aranei/pseuds/Aranei">Aranei</a>  in the  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Merthur_Glompfest_2020">Merthur_Glompfest_2020</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <strong>Prompt:</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Not sure about tags.  </p><p>glomp. Verb. (third-person singular simple present glomps, present participle glomping, simple past and past participle glomped) (slang) to embrace enthusiastically; to pounce on and hug, often from a running start.</p><p>the Knights have come to think of Merlin as their good luck charm and have taken to hugging him a bit too much and often.</p><p>How Arthur reacts </p><p>***</p><p>Thanks to aoigensou for the betareading!</p><p>Aranei, I hope you'll like what I did with your prompt.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1. Lancelot</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>They looked at the griffin’s corpse on the forest floor. It had been a hard fight. The beast had taken them by surprise. Lancelot had fought bravely but without Merlin’s powers, they probably would have been dead by now. The fire arrow had struck him in the chest, making him fall on the floor with a harrowing cry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lancelot turned towards Merlin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you managed that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin didn’t have time to answer before the Knight was hugging him tightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are so lucky to have you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin smiled sadly. He wasn’t sure everyone in Camelot would think the same if they had seen him kill a griffin with a magical fire arrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>2. Gwaine</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Gwaine’s hugs were always overwhelming. He took Merlin in his arms like Merlin was the most important thing in the world but at the same time, it felt like he wanted their bodies to fuse. It always left Merlin a little bit wobbly when he let him go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tavern was packed and noisy that night and when Gwaine hugged him, Merlin could smell the ale on his breath. Still, the hug was as intense as ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re really my good luck charm, Merlin! I never lose when you’re here!” Gwaine exclaimed as he took the coins he just had won playing dice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin smiled. Gwaine wasn’t meant to know there was indeed a good luck charm involved.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>3. Leon</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon never touched anybody. He always kept some physical distance. So when he came towards Merlin and hugged him, Merlin froze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Leon said. He let go of Merlin. “Thank you for saving Arthur.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin nodded, still shocked by Leon’s unusual burst of affection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin looked at Arthur, asleep in his bed, his face still showing the effects of the poison but his breathing slow and regular now. Merlin had found the plant Gaius needed just in time to save the Prince. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just lucky,” Merlin said, not wanting to explain how he had finally found the plant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leon hugged him again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are lucky to have you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>4. Everyone </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>It became a habit. When Merlin helped the Knights. When he cooked for them as they were camping in the forest. When he fought along with them. When he cheered for them as they trained. When he helped them clean and polish their armor. The Knights always came to him afterward to thank him with a hug. A simple hug from Leon. A longer one from Gwaine. A gentle one from Lancelot. A tight one from Percival.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin had grown to love these hugs. It made him feel accepted, loved. He had found people he could consider as his friends, as his equals.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Merlin had never spotted the way Arthur looked at him when one of the Knight held him in his arms. He had never seen the longing in his blue eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>5. Arthur</strong>
</p><p>
  <span>From inside the tent, Merlin could hear the roaring of the crowd. It was the first tourney organized in Camelot since Arthur had been crowned king and knights from all the neighboring kingdoms had come to try to beat the King himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin finished attaching Arthur’s vambrace and went to fetch his gloves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur took the gloves but didn’t put them on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin came closer, wondering what Arthur was going to ask him to do. He had done everything that needed to be done. Arthur’s armor was perfectly in place, perfectly polished. He would shine under the sun and impress everyone solely by his presence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was surprised when he felt Arthur’s arms around him and his body being brought against the metal-covered torso.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hug didn’t last long and Merlin stayed there, gawping, not realizing what had just happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin? Are you going to stay there and be useless?” Arthur asked as he put his gloves on. “Bring me my helmet!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>5+1. Arthur again </strong>
</p><p>
  <span>Only one joust left. If Arthur would win it, he’d won the tournament. Only one joust left against the best Knight he had ever known: Lancelot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They knew each other perfectly. There would be no surprise between them. The joust was meant to last. The first to yield would lose. The first to show the slightest bit of distraction would surrender the victory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur had never believed in luck but when he saw Lancelot hugging Merlin and telling him he was his lucky charm, Arthur decided he needed his fair share of luck himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin!” he called from the entrance of his tent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin let go of Lancelot, excused himself and scampered to Arthur’s tent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once inside the tent, Arthur spread his arms, signaling Merlin he could remove his armor. Merlin obeyed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the armor’s parts piled on the table, Arthur watched Merlin. Luck? Did he really bring luck? The more he thought about it, the more he remembered times when Merlin had been there when the Knights and he had got out of a tricky situation… Tree branches falling just at the right time, boulders falling in the path of bandits... Perhaps it was true then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur decided to test it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin? Come here.” Arthur asked as Merlin had started to polish the armor in preparation for the last joust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin came closer, but not without sighing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur hugged Merlin again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arthur! What’s got into you today!” Merlin said, getting out of Arthur’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s because of the Knights! They say hugging you brings luck! And I’ll need some to beat Lancelot!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin suddenly burst out laughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re an idiot!’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How dare you address your King like that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“King or not, jealousy doesn’t suit you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Merlin was still laughing but he came back closer to Arthur.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, let’s bring you luck then!” he said as he nestled against Arthur’s torso.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arthur put his arms around Merlin’s body and took a deep breath. He didn’t know if that hug would indeed bring him luck but it was not unpleasant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know,” Merlin said without moving from Arthur’s embrace “I have another lucky charm if you want”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you suggesting I need it to beat Lancelot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He got a hug too, so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Lancelot fell on the ground and as the crowd started to acclaim it’s King, Arthur could only think about the feeling of Merlin’s lips on his. Lucky charm or not, Arthur could get used to more of that in his life from now on.</span>
</p><p> </p>
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